The government is amenable to the move of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to temporarily suspend the deployment of Filipino workers to Israel as the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians intensified.
According to Presidential spokesman Harry Roque, the safety of the Filipinos is the government's main concern amid plans to suspend OFW deployment as well as repatriate those caught in the middle of the conflict.
"Suportado po ng Malacañang ang naging desisyon ni (Labor) Secretary (Silvestre) Bello (III) na panandaliang itigil muna ang pagpapadala ng mga OFWs sa lugar ng Israel sa Gitnang Silangan dahil nga po sa tumitinding labanan ‘no doon (Malacañang supports the decision of Secretary Bello to temporarily stop the deployment of OFWs to Israel in the Middle East due to the escalating conflict there)," Roque said during a televised press briefing Thursday, May 20.
"Ito naman po ay para mapangalagaan nga ang kaligtasan ng ating mga kababayan. Siyempre habang naghahanda tayo na i-evacuate at i-repatriate ang ating mga kababayan doon eh bakit tayo magpapadala ng mga bagong mga OFWs doon din (This is meant to protect the safety of our countrymen. Of course while we prepare to evacuate and repatriate our people, why would we send new OFWs there)," he said.
The labor department earlier suspended the departure of around 400 caregivers who are scheduled to be deployed to Israel this month. Bello said the government was not banning the deployment of Filipino workers to Israel but simply suspending the dispatch amid fresh Israel-Palestinian conflict.
"The processing of those who already qualified continues. We are merely suspending their actual departure while the tension is still high,” Bello said.
Armed hostilities flared anew on the Gaza Strip as Israel and Palestinian armed groups exchanged rocket fire. More than 200 people were reportedly killed after a week of fighting.
The Philippines recently joined the international community in expressing deep concern over the escalation of violence in Israel. Manila has appealed to concerned parties to “exercise restraint and seek dialogue to de-escalate tensions” following weeks of tension between Palestinians and Israelis in East Jerusalem.
The Department of Foreign Affairs has already advised more than 30,000 Filipinos living in Israel to take precautions amid the conflict.